Talk:United States Department of War

Seal of the department

I didn't write this information, but moved it here from the UK War Office article. Original author was 71.142.193.104 Thom2002 09:30, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

History?

This article really needs expansion. I came here looking for some info on the War Department in the late 1800's, and there is nothing. The Defense Dep. info starts in the 1940's. CFLeon 23:30, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

Department Retirement

What were the reasons for retiring this department? Please expand this article with a new section answering this question. 64.128.27.82 (talk) 19:11, 13 November 2012 (UTC)

The department was not so much "retired" as converted. Post WWII, the Department of the Air Force was created out of the Army Air Corps, and the joint nature of warfare (air, land, sea) was seen as needing a single umbrella organization (DoD). Prior to the conversion, we had the War and Navy Departments--S. Rich (talk) 19:22, 13 November 2012 (UTC)

"The American government ... decided to abandon the word 'War' when referring to the civilian leadership of their military." The motivations for this decision would make a great article. In retrospect, this was a terrible mistake. The USA has a long history of waging war to acquire territory and treasure, both before and after WWII. The DOD euphemism hides this painful reality. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Chmaynard (talk • contribs) 21:00, 25 March 2016 (UTC)

Use of the word "War" in nomenclature // US Army War College

The following comment int he paragraph of post-war nomenclature is absolutely wrong and makes an incorrect assumption. As written, it says "One vestige of the former nomenclature is the War College, which still trains military officers of the United States in battlefield tactics and the strategy of war fighting."

The continues use of the term "War College" has nothing to do with retaining the term "War", nor was it ever linked to the term "War Department". The US Army War College is a traditional name of the school. It is now a college in the National Defense University system. The War college also does not teach "battlefield tactics" - that is the purview of the Officer Basic and Advanced Courses in the various Branch schools. While the AWC has a few service, interagency, and international exchange students in each class, stating that it "trains military officers of the United States" is also wrong. The primary mission is to train senior US Army field grade officers (Lieutenant Colonels and Colonels).

All in all - this is poorly written and badly researched / footnoted article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.192.204.61 (talk) 15:21, 8 May 2013 (UTC)

External links modified

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Date on Seals

I came to this page to identify the wax seal that is attached to an official document for one of my ancestors (an officer's commission certificate signed by President James Madison and Secretary of War James Monroe). The seal says "United States of America Department of War" around the outside, and has a date at the bottom of the inside, which I was having difficulty reading. I arrived at this page.

I note that the dates on the two seals at the top of the page read: "MDCCLXXVIII." [M = 1000; D = 500; C = 100; L = 50; X = 10; V = 5; I = 1] Therefore, the date is 1778.

So, if the War Department began in 1789, why do the seals say 1778? Just curious.

Mrs rockefeller (talk) 16:25, 2 September 2021 (UTC)